# pledge

Pronunciation: say "PLEJ" /plɛd͡ʒ/

## Noun

1. A solemn, formal promise to carry out a particular action.
   - Simple: A serious promise to do something.
   - _The senator made a public pledge to reform the tax code._
   - _Donors renewed their annual pledges at the charity gala._
3. An asset or person temporarily handed over to guarantee that a promise is fulfilled, forfeited permanently if the promise is broken.
   - Simple: Something valuable, or even a person, given to another as a guarantee that a promise will be kept.
   - _Medieval rulers often exchanged noble children as pledges to secure their alliances._
   - _He offered the deed to his farm as a pledge against the loan._
5. A person who has sworn allegiance to a college fraternity or sorority but has not yet been formally admitted as a full member.
   - Simple: A student who has promised to join a college club or fraternity but has not been fully accepted yet.
   - _Each pledge was assigned an older member as a mentor for the semester._
   - _The fraternity welcomed twelve new pledges this fall._
6. A solemn promise to refrain from drinking alcohol.
   - Simple: A serious promise to stop drinking alcohol.
   - _Many in the temperance movement took the pledge at crowded public meetings._
   - _She honored her pledge and declined the wine at dinner._
7. The handing over of personal property to a creditor as security for a debt, without any transfer of ownership.
   - Simple: A deal where you hand over an item to back a loan, while still owning it, until the debt is paid.
   - _Under the agreement, the borrower delivered the bonds as a pledge for the loan._
   - _A pledge gives the lender possession but not ownership of the goods._
8. The personal property handed over as security, held by the creditor until the debt is repaid.
   - Simple: The actual item handed over to a lender, kept by them until the debt is paid.
   - _The creditor was entitled to sell the pledge if the borrower defaulted._
   - _Once the loan was cleared, the bank released the pledge to its owner._
9. A toast drunk in honor of someone or something.
   - Simple: A toast made to someone's health when drinking together.
   - _The guests drank a pledge to the bride and groom._
   - _An old custom called for a pledge to the king before the feast began._

## Verb

2. To promise solemnly that one will do something.
   - Simple: To promise something in a serious, honest way.
   - _Both candidates pledge to lower taxes if they are elected._
   - _She pledged her loyalty to the new organization._
4. To deposit an item as security for a loan; to pawn.
   - Simple: To leave something valuable with someone as a guarantee, often to borrow money.
   - _She pledged the family silver to cover an unexpected debt._
   - _Farmers would pledge their tools at the local broker during lean winters._
10. To drink to someone's health as a token of friendship.
   - Simple: To drink to someone's health as a sign of friendship.
   - _The guests pledged the newlyweds with raised goblets._
   - _He rose to pledge his old companion before the whole hall._

## Origin

From Middle English plege, from Anglo-Norman and Old French plege, from Medieval Latin plevium (from plebiō, "I pledge"), which came from Frankish *plehan meaning "to pledge, support, or guarantee." It is related to Old High German pflegan ("to take care of") and Old English plēon ("to risk").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/pledge (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).